Haunted Consequence
by bellenoire403
Summary: The untold story of Hermione and Draco!
1. Chapter 1

Pressing through Platform 9 ¾ was always exhilarating. Hermione stopped right inside the threshold and drank in the sight of the all too familiar train that majestically stood before them. She eagerly breathed in deep the smell of metal, steam, and newly pressed parchment.

"Mom! Come on we are going to be late!" Rose exclaimed.

"Alright, come on then." Hermione laughed as she grabbed her husband's hand. She took a quick glance at Ron to see if he was as excited as her. Memories danced before them. A time when they were waiting to board the train and go on adventures in education. Even though their childhood was not ideal, Hermione still thought upon it fondly.

"Look for Harry and Ginny." Ron's hair gleamed in the sun as he extended his neck to look for his sister and brother-in-law. Hermione looked around at all the bustle trying to catch a glimpse of the rest of their family. Children ran around excitedly as owls swooped down from the skies. Fathers barked orders while mothers wiped tears.

A bit of familiarity caught Hermione's eye and she quickly turned in hopes of finding the rest of her family.

It was one split second.

Everything stopped.

There he was. Their gazes locked.

It had been years.

Her breath caught in her throat as her heart pounded in her ears. Everything seemed to melt around her as she stood there.

Those grey eyes.

Draco.

Hermione mustered up the force to break the glance. She quickly turned and hurried in the opposite direction. What was only seconds seemed like an eternity as she rushed through the crowd. Her eyes focused on nothing, the surrounding crowd just a haze.

Someone pulled on her arm. Instinctively, Hermione jerked.

"Hey, you walked right past us." She looked into her husband's blue eyes. Their familiarity enveloped her as she felt the calm of his gaze. He pulled her closer. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think I just got dizzy for a second," Hermione swallowed as her throat was dry, "but I'm fine."

"Dizzy? You sure you are ok?" Ron examined her face.

"Yes Ron. If I wasn't ok I would tell you." Hermione brows furrowed. An all too familiar sight for Ron who broke into a smile.

"Ok!" Ron kissed her lovingly on the head, "Let's go say goodbye to our daughter." They joined Harry and Ginny at the train to say goodbye to their children.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione laid on her husband's chest and listened to his light snoring. It was a sound she had grown accustomed to. It was a sound that soothed her and could easily lull her to sleep. Only tonight, she couldn't find that peace.

Her mind twisted and turned and leaped and roared. No matter how much she tried to quiet it, her mind still danced.

She still saw those eyes in the crowd. She never forgot but she didn't remember. Some things a girl has to pack away to move on. And she had packed it away tightly. But now it all sprang forth.

Hermione closed her eyes….

 _Hermione mindlessly squeezed her books close to her. Sometimes Harry and Ron could drive her absolutely crazy. Yes, she loved to study but sometimes she just needed the time away from their squabbling or boyish antics…whatever the flavor of the day was. She walked through the corridor trying to shake off her irritation before sitting down in the library to study Charms. Other than her normal friend stuff, she was enjoying the lessons this term and really felt that she was excelling._

 _"I do not care what you are thinking." A voice bellowed out of a room close by. Hermione jumped and looked around. No one else was in the hallway._

 _A howler. It was definitely a howler. Hermione crept over to the door that stood slightly ajar. She didn't want to pry but couldn't help herself._

 _"I do not care about your dreams or your childish fantasies! You are to do my biding. Anymore of this nonsense talk and you will wish you have never been born!" Hermione gasped as she listened to the bellowing voice, "You will do what I say. You will talk to who I want you to talk to. You will breathe when I tell you to. And you know what will happen if you fail me. You will not embarrass me." She heard the howler rip itself up._

 _She couldn't move. She was shocked at the cruelty she just witnessed. She heard a slight sniffle from within. She looked around the hallway as if the stones would produce the answer to whether or not she should go in and comfort the unfortunate receiver of this horrible howler. If she went in, the person would know she heard it. But what if they needed someone. She stood there, debating in her head, not noticing the door open._

 _Malfoy stood before her. His face was red and his eyes was swollen. Hermione took one step back but couldn't take her eyes off him._

 _He didn't react to her presence._

 _He stepped out of the room and bumped her as he walked by._

 _Hermione watched him walk down the hall. He usually bumped her like that along with the name calling and slurs. But today, today it was different. Malfoy disappeared around the corner and Hermione hoped he was ok…_

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut at the memory. She rolled over to her side of the bed and hoped for sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Hugo lapped at his porridge as Hermione sipped her coffee. It was a beautiful Saturday morning though Ron had to go into the office and work extra hours. Hermione watched her son, contemplating the events for the day. Perhaps they would go shopping or to the park or maybe go visit Aunt Ginny.

"Are you done sweetheart?" Hermione took the food play as a sign.

"Uh-huh." Big blue eyes stared back at her.

"Go get cleaned up, we may go see Aunt Ginny."

Hugo squealed as he jumped from the table. His little feet pounded the floor as he raced for his room. Hermione giggled to herself as she stood up to clean up the breakfast dishes. The sunlight danced through the windows, the bright beams gently caressing an open book laying on the kitchen table. Hermione stopped, dishes in hand, and watched the sun dance across the book's pages.

 _The sun beams from the open windows streaked across Hermione's book, blurring the words and making it difficult to read. But she wasn't going to give up. She walked behind Ron and Harry with her book. The guys had started to talk about Quidditch so she took the opportunity to fall behind and get some reading done. Only now the sun was making it difficult to read. She was glad for the beautiful day but didn't care much for the heated sports talk._

 _"Granger!"_

 _Hermione jolted. Only one person called her Granger._

 _Draco grabbed her arm forcefully and before realizing what was happening, Draco had shoved her into a side room. The room was very tiny and filled with things that Hermione could feel with her legs as she tried to keep balance from the force of Draco's insistent push. She was barely in the room but was up against the wall, the stones cold on her back. They were in a small broom closet._

 _"You heard, didn't you?" Draco forced his eyes to adjust in the dim light so he could study her face._

 _"Heard what?" Hermione squeaked. She knew what he was talking about but was unsure if it should be addressed._

 _"The Howler yesterday." Draco stared into her._

 _Hermione paused. Her eyes danced around looking for any help. Panic leaped up in her throat but resolve quickly came to the rescue as she realized she should just be honest._

 _"Yes, I heard it Draco." Hermione suddenly felt a weight lift from her. She breathed in deep. The smell of musk and oak filled her senses. It was Draco and he actually smelled good. She studied his face. Draco was always hard to read but even more so now. "Are you ok?"_

 _"Why do you care?"_

 _Hermione tried to look into Draco's deep eyes._

 _"I don't want you going around blabbering about it, alright?" Draco's face hardened in determination. Hermione could feel the heat radiating off of him and instinctively felt herself wanting to draw closer to him. Hermione shook her head, trying to clear her brain of such thoughts._

 _"I…uh…I hadn't planned to tell anyone Draco." She forced the words out as she tried to keep her composure that she was quickly losing. She doesn't even remember being this close to Malfoy. She never would have thought it would be like this._

 _"You expect me to believe you?"_

 _"I hadn't planned to tell anyone. If I did, wouldn't I have done it already! And you would know by now that I had told because with the way things work around here, it would have gotten back to you already." Hermione stood a little straighter, her composure more under control as Draco's body eased up. He stared at the floor, contemplating something deep within._

 _He knew she was right. She hadn't told. She wouldn't tell._

 _"Draco." Hermione almost whispered. He quickly looked up and into her eyes. "Are you ok?" She bravely asked the question again._

 _For a second, Draco's face softened._

 _"Why do you care Granger?" He hardened back up. "Not a word"_

 _Before Hermione could breathe one more breath of him, the door stood wide open and Draco was gone. Hermione felt the cold of the stone on her back and began to shiver. Draco's secret was safe with her and she stepped out into the sunlight._

Hermione gently shut the book on the kitchen table. They were definitely going to see family today. Hermione needed the distraction.


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny had suggested that they all go shopping which suited Hermione just fine. Two of her plans for the day was now rolled up into one and she welcomed the diversion. The kids were excited for the day's adventures. They bounced around the fire place as they prepared to travel by the floo network. They were going to shop in Diagon Alley and then catch a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron.

Hermione went first. Their plan was for Hermione to go, then the children, then Ginny would follow. Hermione grabbed a handful of floo powder and whisked herself away to Diagon Alley.

 _It was holiday and Hermione and Ginny decided to sneak away for some holiday shopping. Diagon Alley was quieter than usual but with recent events, that's to be expected. Some holiday shoppers still bounced around with their daily normal lives but a sense of tension hung in the air that even the Christmas spirit could not dispel._

 _Only Fred and George's shop was alive with excitement. They had ventured through every shop, making their purchases and now found themselves in the familiar place. More people were in this shop than any other and laughter bounced around. It was sweet music._

 _"People need a good laugh these days." Ginny smiled with pride. Her brothers were providing a much needed respite from the daily grudge of things. Who would have thought this would have been the twins calling. Hermione looked around at the happy faces. It really was a glorious shop._

 _"I think I got everything I need." Ginny looked into her bag to mentally double check her purchases._

 _"I did too." Hermione was finally getting into the Christmas spirit._

 _"Let's head back and we could make some cocoa and wrap these presents." Ginny's eyes gleamed. She was getting into the Christmas spirit as well._

 _"Yes! Let's do it." Hermione let herself be filled up with the warmth only the holiday could bring as she followed Ginny to the fireplace. Ginny grabbed some floo powder and asked for the Burrow. The rushing sound and green flames encompassed her and she was gone. Hermione dug her hand in the powder, getting ready to follow her friend._

 _Something tugged at her, in the back of her brain._

 _A curiosity._

 _What if?_

 _Hermione dropped the floo powder and placed her packages to the side of the fireplace. Careful not to be noticed, she weaved herself through Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and found her way back out into Diagon Alley._

 _It was still very quiet as Hermione walked toward her destination. She didn't make any eye contact as she made her way past all the shops. A sign loomed ahead of her._

 _Knockturn Alley._

 _Her thoughts were absurd. She just wanted to peek down there. She thought, perhaps she would get a glimpse…that she would get to see Draco. Maybe he would even come and say something to her. But he would probably be with his parents. He wouldn't talk to her. She knew this after hearing that howler._

 _She craned her neck to look deeper down the alley._

 _But maybe, just maybe, he would sneak away._

" _What do we have here?" A gruff voice broke Hermione's concentration._

" _A curious lot." A second voice hissed in her ear._

" _Blimely, I believe this to be one of Potter's friends." The scraggly man with a gruff voice delighted in his find._

" _I'm sure they would be interested in this." The other wormy man hissed._

" _Alright lady," The gruff man grabbed her by the neck as the other man grabbed her arm, "You want to see Knockturn Alley, you get to see Knockturn Alley."_

 _The greasy men drug Hermione through the alley. Despite her struggle they easily forced her through a door and into a chair where she now sat shackled._

 _It was a shop unlike one she had ever seen. Darkness filled the room but not from the lack of light. Musty powder filled her nostrils as faces stared down at her._

" _They will want to know about this." One of the strangers smiled. Another man flourished his robes as he left the shop._

 _Hermione strained against her restraints. Ginny didn't know where she was. No one would know where she was. No one was going to find her. Hermione tried to swallow the panic the swelled up in her throat. She pushed harder but the cuffs only seemed to get tighter._

 _It could have been hours or it could have been barely minutes but the shop quickly filled up with cloaked figures all staring down at her as if she was some exotic attraction. Some of them bellowed while others whispered. Hermione understood that none of this was good._

 _She peered through the swamp of unfamiliar faces. She felt the fate of the situation engulf her and she could feel her head start to droop in defeat._

" _EEEeoooooooowwww" A sound crashed through the crowd as an explosion lit up the windows outside of the shop. Confusion broke out._

" _They are outside!"_

" _They have come for her"_

" _Everyone outside now!"_

 _Shouts rang through the crowd, muddling together in utter chaos. Men and women pushed themselves outside to see what was going on. Hermione couldn't believe what was happening. They actually knew where she was and was coming for her!_

 _She felt one of her arms being freed._

 _Her head jerked and she focused on her rescuer. Draco knelt down beside her, freeing her other arm._

" _I made a distraction but it won't be long till they figure out that no one is there." He talked to her through short breaths. He stood up once she was freed and let his eyes dart around the room. "This way." He pulled her up and they ran to a cabinet. "Get in." Hermione got in and he quickly followed. Hiding in a cabinet wasn't her ideal plan._

 _Then she felt the spinning._

 _She heard the whirring._

 _And felt the force of a landing._


	5. Chapter 5

" _I am really glad that worked." Draco opened the cabinet door and unfolded himself to stand up. He offered his hand and pulled Hermione up to her feet. Her surroundings seemed familiar as recognition melted across her face._

 _"We're in..."_

 _"The Room of Requirement." Draco finished her sentence. "Yes."_

 _"We're in Hogwarts?" Hermione squealed in disbelief. "How?"_

 _"Vanishing cabinet." Draco patted the cabinet. "We have to figure out what to do. We can't go back to Borgin and Burkes. People will probably be wondering where the both of us are," Draco started talking more to himself than Hermione, "If people notice us both gone it might not be too hard to figure out that we are together and that can't possibly happen…"_

 _"Draco." Hermione hated to interrupt his train of thought but she felt a pressing issue._

 _"Yes." He looked up as if he just remembered she was that close to him._

 _"If we can get through the vanishing cabinets, what is stopping others from coming through?"_

 _Realization swept over Draco's body._

 _"Right!" He grabbed Hermione's hand and they ran for the door. They didn't stop once they were in the halls. They weren't even supposed to be at Hogwarts so they raced down the hall but tried to remain hidden. Hermione felt the warmth of his hand as they made their way through Hogwarts. His hand was soft and something about the way he was holding her seemed tender. She let him guide her through the halls. He saw their way out but all she could see was him._

 _A soft light emerged ahead of them and Draco pulled her into the shadows. Hermione leaned into him, her hands on his chest as they tried to silence their breaths. His arm wrapped around the small of her back, pulling her closer to him and further into the shadows. The hallway grew lighter then began to diminish as the light moved on._

 _Draco exhaled._

 _Hermione didn't want to move._

 _Draco looked down at her._

 _Hermione gazed up at him. His eyes captured hers._

 _Suddenly his arm dropped from her back and sensing the moment, Hermione stepped back in panic._

 _This was Draco she was with! And she knew he had to be thinking the same thing!_

 _Draco ran his fingers through his hair as he collected his thoughts._

 _"Of course they will be patrolling." Draco searched his brain, "If we can get to the quidditch pitch, we can get one of the extra brooms. We could fly back."_

 _Draco was a very good flyer. Not as great as Harry but Hermione would trust him on that long journey._

 _"Or if we get to Hogsmeade, we could travel by floo powder." Hermione was used to tossing out ideas._

 _"They watch the network." Draco grabbed her hand once more and they took off down the corridor. Hogwarts is filled with many mysteries and there are more entrances and exits unknown to the students than anything else. Fortunately for Draco he knew of an exit close by._

 _A painting of a garden loomed in front of them._

 _"Flower pot!" Draco confidently barked at the painting. Hermione stared at him from the absurdity of the password. "What?" noticing her, "I didn't make it up." The picture swung open revealing the grounds of Hogwarts._

 _It was nighttime and the air was cold. The moon hung low in the sky and lit up the grounds as if it were a never ending lumos spell. The caress of winter on the landscape had quieted all the hype of summer and fall and any person could feel at peace in the serene moonlight._

 _Draco still held her hand as they raced for the quidditch pitch, careful to stay close to the shadows. No one seemed to be walking the grounds on the cold night. Draco supposed that all the teacher's must assume the students who still stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays would not venture out on such a cold night. That or they didn't want to venture out themselves._

 _They ran through the shadows of the trees as the pitch laid before them. They stopped at a corner to check there surroundings and made their way to the supply tent. Draco rummaged through the collection of brooms looking for the one that could take them on the journey. Hermione gazed around hoping no one could hear the commotion._

 _Draco grunted to himself and chose a broom. He mounted it and then pulled Hermione onto the back. She quickly wrapped her arms around him as he kicked off from the ground._

 _Hermione didn't enjoy the feeling of flying. It wasn't really her thing. She pulled herself closer to Draco and instantly felt safer. She leaned into him, resting her head on his back and breathed him in. Draco focused on the flight as they kept ascending. Hermione's senses whirred as she felt herself become breathless. A tingling sprung deep down inside her as she tried to draw even closer to Draco._

 _Then she felt a change._

 _They were descending._

 _There was no way they could be in Diagon Alley. Not that fast._

 _Draco loomed forward and then touched down. He slid off the broom and Hermione followed._

 _They were on a little Island in the middle of a rolling river, the only inhabitants were two weeping willows who gently caressed the soft carpeted grass. The coldness and the moonbeams kissed the land here too. Draco took two steps away from Hermione, his soul raging a war within him. Hermione watched him tense, his muscles flexed under his shirt._

 _"Draco?"_

 _He turned and rushed upon her, pulling her to him, digging his hands into her soft curly hair. His mouth caught hers and he kissed her. Hermione wrapped her arms around him, falling into him as he deepened their kiss. Hermione parted her lips as he accepted the invitation. The softness of his tongue gently caressed hers. He pulled away and kissed her again with his velvety lips. Hermione drank in the sensation. The tingling in her body now exploded in full blown passion._

 _Draco pulled away trying to catch his breath. His soft eyes gazed at her. Hermione reeled from the touch and reached for him to find her balance. She looked at him through her eyelashes and felt his heat. He pulled her closer and she could feel him, all of him, hard against her._

 _"We must get you back." Draco tenderly brushed a curl from her face. He gently grabbed her arm and guided her back to the broom. Before Hermione could process what happened, they were speeding through the night again. She clung to him as the wind whipped past. She did not want this ride to end but before she knew what was happening, they touched down in Diagon Alley._

 _They stood in the shadows watching the street. There didn't seem to be any commotion to be wary about. Their eyes bounced around._

 _"Looks like the incident just stayed in Knockturn Alley." Draco whispered._

 _"What are you going to do?" Hermione searched his face. She now feared for his outcome._

 _"I'll make up a courageous story of how I battled it out with Harry or something."_

 _Hermione slid her hand in his._

 _"I'll be ok." He looked down at her as she peered up at him. He cupped her face and pulled her into a quick kiss. He released her, mounted the broom, and kicked off again, quickly leaving her in the shadows._

 _Hermione raced across the lighted alley towards Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. She tried to clear her head because she knew she also had to come up with some story herself. She made her way through the now quieted store. Her packages were where she left them. She picked them up as she reached for the floo powder._


	6. Chapter 6

Ron was already home when they arrived, arms full of packages. Hugo ran directly to his daddy and jumped into his arms. Hermione unloaded their packages and walked over to lightly kiss Ron on the head.

"How was your day?" Hermione drew her attention back to the packages to unload them.

"It was exhausting. How was yours?" Ron picked up Hugo and tossed him in the air.

"We went shopping with Aunt Ginny!" Hugo exclaimed.

"You did?" Ron smiled at his son, "you have fun?"

"Of course daddy, can we play quibbitch?" Hugo's eyes pleaded with his Father.

"Yes," Ron laughed, "We can play quiDDitch. Go and get your broom." Hugo rushed off to find his toy broom as Ron stretched to prepare himself for play. "Oh, we got an owl from Hogwarts today."

"Everything alright?" Hermione attention flew directly towards Ron.

"Rose is fine. The annual family day is coming up."

"Oh." Hermione felt the sinking feeling deep inside her. "You think we should go this year?"

"Of course! Rose would be devastated if we didn't." Ron studied her. Hermione let her hair fall down to hide the lack of color in her face. She quickly took a deep breath and mustered composure.

"You're right. Besides, Hugo will have fun. We all will." Hermione half smiled at her husband. Hugo bounced in with his toy broom and plastic quaffle. He threw the quaffle at his father, giggled and bounded outside. Ron tossed the quaffle in the air, winked at his wife, caught the ball and headed outside.


	7. Chapter 7

Hugo bounced in his seat as the Hogwarts Express leapt into action. The train picked up speed as the Weasley family settled in for the ride. Ginny and Harry had joined them and were laughing and joking as Ron poured over the itinerary.

"Bet you're looking forward to the Hogwarts food once again, aren't you Ron?" Harry nudged him. Everyone knew how he enjoyed the Hogwarts buffet.

"Yep, looks like Gryffindors will eat at 5." Ron still gazed at the itinerary, "There will also be a family trip to Hogsmeade at noon."

"Be good to go there again." Ginny smiled at her husband.

Hogsmeade. Hermione sat quietly. Thoughts raced through her mind that she really didn't want to pay attention to. She had a book open on her lap, but she couldn't read.

Hogsmeade.

Her mind began to wonder.

 _Hermione held the small piece of paper in her hand. It said only two words but she knew exactly what it meant._

 _Flower Pot._

 _It was Saturday and the paper appeared before her at breakfast. She grabbed it before anyone else could notice. It was a good thing too because she didn't want to answer any questions._

 _She could barely contain her excitement through breakfast. She could almost feel his gaze on her as he sat at his own table. After breakfast the guys had planned to practice quidditch which gave Hermione an excuse not to accompany them. They bounded off in boisterous laughter leaving her quiet in the hallways._

 _Hermione set off for the picture of the garden. It was a painting she remembered well._

 _Draco stood there studying the picture as she walked up. He turned and smiled at her and grabbed her hand. Playfulness danced in his eyes and they both turned._

 _"Flower pot." Their voices rang out in unison and Hermione broke into laughter. A smile broke across Draco's face and he let out a small laugh. Hermione realized this was the first time she ever really seen him laugh. They walked through the picture, Hermione still studying his face._

 _The day felt warm as spring had arrived. Everything was budding to life and Hermione breathed in the fragrance of it all. "So what are we doing?" She asked Draco._

 _Draco grabbed both of her hands and pulled her along. "Hogsmeade."_

 _"Hogsmeade? But the whole school is going to Hogsmeade tomorrow." Hermione stopped and planted her feet. They could get into a lot of trouble sneaking off to Hogsmeade._

 _"But we won't be able to be there together Granger." Draco tilted his head in disappointment. He was right. Hermione tightened her grip on his hand and they headed off._

 _"So how did you get out of it?" Hermione questioned Draco on the incident in Knockturn Alley. They walked hand in hand down the dirt path. It was nice to have an open conversation. No one else was around. Hermione felt normal. In fact she felt more than normal, she felt as if everything was right in the world._

 _"I told them I was stunned by one of the intruders. I couldn't get a good look at them and my head was foggy. When I woke up they were long gone."_

 _"Well that's a good story. How did it go over?"_

 _"My father was a little suspicious but that is my father in everything. My mother panicked and made sure I was alright. Which of course I was."_

 _"Thank you for saving me. You didn't have to put yourself out like that."_

 _Draco stopped and studied her face._

 _"There's something about you Granger."_

 _Hermione felt her face burn under his stare. They continued on in silence, enjoying the presence of each other. Hogsmeade was quiet as they were both used to the village with all the invading students. It was quite a pleasant place with thatched cottages and little shops. Just like the woods outside of the school, Hogsmeade began to awaken to spring. New flowers burst through the soil as trees seemed to yawn in their awakening. Hermione held on to Draco's hand and took it all in. This would be what it would be like if they could be together every day. Could it be possible?_

 _"Butterbeer?" Draco took a playful sideway glance at her. Hermione blushed and giggled while shaking her head. They entered the Three Broomsticks and set down for their drinks._

 _"So what are you thinking?" Draco reached across the table for her hand, "You are always thinking Hermione."_

 _"I was thinking," She took a quick sip of her butterbeer, "I was thinking how amazing this would be if this could be us."_

 _Affection flared in Draco's eyes as he squeezed her hand. Then a sadness crept across the table. Draco's eyes dropped as he receded deep into his mind._

 _"Did I say something wrong?" Hermione's curls fell around her as she titled her head in question._

 _"No," Draco shook his head, "You didn't say anything wrong." He squeezed her hand once more. Their conversation quickly turned to lightheartedness as they joked and played with each other. Hermione couldn't believe how brilliant Draco actually was. He was also very funny. Her sides hurt by the end of their butterbeer._

 _"We better head back." Draco stood up from the table and helped pull her up. They walked outside and started to head back to their school. Hermione watched Draco from the corner of her eye. Their conversation just died and now it seemed he was deep in thought. She didn't know whether to question him or just enjoy his company. The sun was sinking quickly and the air began to get cooler. She moved in a little closer to Draco._

 _"Hermione." Draco stopped. They were almost near Hogwarts but still alone. A hint of distress shown in Draco's eyes. Hermione studied him. "I…I've been asked to do something. Something so terrible. I don't want to. But if I don't…" Draco swallowed his emotion down, "If I don't do it, I could die, my family could die…my family." A tear escaped his eye and Hermione instinctively reached up and wiped it away. Surely things were not that bad for Draco. Hermione could understand how he could be overwhelmed. She didn't know what to say but she knew what she felt. She let her hand linger near his face as her fingers caressed his cheek. He closed his eyes at the touch as she cupped his face._

 _He pulled her close to him. She could feel the breath on her cheek. They stood there, close to each other, the heat building between them. He turned his head and took her mouth and kissed her slowly. Then the kiss became harder as a need swelled up in him. Hermione held on to him. She just wanted to give him comfort. To help him feel secure. The way he made her feel._

 _Draco buried his face in her hair as he tried to catch his breath. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned into him as she felt everything at once._

 _"We need to go back." Draco barely whispered. They slowly broke their embrace and began the trek back to Hogwarts._


	8. Chapter 8

The halls of Hogwarts was filled with laughter and excitement. Families reunited as opportunities for memories and a chance for new experience engulfed the crowd. Rose was excited to show her parents the work she accomplished so far. The dormitories were crowded with families. Father's stood by the trophies, reliving their glory days on the quidditch pitch as mother's sat by the fire and recounted the times they had spent there giggling over boys. Nostalgia drifted in the air. Hermione smiled lightly. It was good to be back, but a sadness hung in the shadows, no matter how hard to she tried to shrug it off.

"Did you want to go to Hogsmeade?" Ron looked loving at his daughter who suddenly beamed with joy.

"Can we?" A smile broke across her face that reminded Ron of Hermione.

"Of course!"

"I don't want to go!" Hugo interrupted. "I want to see quibbitch."

"They do have a game at 2. If we go to Hogsmeade, we will miss it." Hermione added. She watched the disappointment enter her daughters face.

"Ron, why don't you take Rose to Hogsmeade and I will take Hugo to the game. We can meet back for dinner." Hermione smiled at her solution.

"Are you sure darling?" Ron tried to gauge the truth of her words.

"Yes I'm sure." Hermione smiled at him and kissed him and Rose on the cheek. Rose wrapped her arms around her Father as Ron winked at Hermione. Hermione grabbed Hugo's hand and headed on towards the quidditch pitch. Perhaps they were already practicing and by getting there early, they would get a good seat. Besides, Hermione didn't feel like going to Hogsmeade anyways. And it wasn't the first time she had skipped out on a Hogsmeade trip.

 _It was Sunday and everyone was preparing for the school excursion to Hogsmeade. Hermione slowly put on her shoes. She was excited but nothing would be able to top yesterday. She wouldn't even be able to get near to Draco._

 _The common room was crowded as the Gryffindors filed out of the common room. Ron argued with Ginny as Harry talked animatedly to Neville. Hermione followed the crowd and tried to focus on keeping up with the group. She really wasn't feeling the adventure._

 _"Stay with me." A voice whispered in her ear. She felt a tug on her hand and stifled a giggle as she felt herself get pulled out of the crowd. She hid with Draco behind a big tapestry. Unless someone noticed that the tapestry now had two pair of shoes, no one would have seen them. They giggled as the crowd moved by. Excitement raced in Draco's eyes as he held her closer. The noise began to lesson as the crowd began to thin out. Draco winked at her and she stood there, feeling him next to her, until the hallway grew silent._

 _The couple emerged from behind the fabric. Draco laughed at their deception. Hermione watched him in the light. He was absolutely beautiful. She was not going to miss Hogsmeade._

 _"So what are we going to do?" Hermione questioned him._

 _"I wanted to show you something." Draco rolled up on the balls of his feet, his thumbs locked in the pockets of his pants. He grinned with boyish mischief and Hermione couldn't help but giggle at him as her heart swelled. "Come on then."_

 _He headed down the hallway and Hermione quickly followed. What could he possibly want to show her that she hadn't seen in the castle? In fact she could probably show him a few things with all that she, Harry, and Ron had been into._

 _They descended into the castle. It was amazing how much the smell of Hogwarts changed with different places. They were headed towards the dungeons._

 _Hermione paused. There was no way. He couldn't really be._

 _Draco stopped outside of Slytherin house._

 _He gently reached for her hand and pulled her into the Slytherin common room._

 _"Wait, what if I am caught?" Hermione tried to protest._

 _"Everyone is gone. I made sure of it." Draco gently pushed her further into the common room._

 _Hermione looked around. The common room, like the Gryffindor common room, was made of stone but with green furniture accented by silver. Silver ornaments sat around the room as green tapestries draped the walls. Roaring fires rolled in huge, ornate fireplaces. But the most astounding aspect of the common room was the far glass wall that encompassed the whole side of the room and gave the Slytherins a full view of the lake. Foliage floated to and fro as creatures swam past the glass. The whole room sparkled as the sun hit the water. Bits of light danced off the stone walls and green tapestries. It took Hermione's breath away._

 _"And I thought our common room was awesome." Hermione mustered, still looking around and taking in the view._

 _"It is quite beautiful isn't it? Some people fail to see just how beautiful it really is." Draco looked around his familiar surroundings. He sat down on the arm of a couch and watched Hermione examine the room._

 _"How come I haven't heard how wonderful this room is?" Hermione lightly touched the green silk fabric that flowed across a side table._

 _"Slytherin secret." Draco winked at her._

 _The room was cold but the contrast of the roaring fires made the room feel like home._

 _"Regret the Gryffindor?" Draco teased her._

 _"Red and gold." Hermione thumped her chest, "Though I have to admit this room is brilliant."_

 _Draco smiled at her. Under his gaze she felt the tingle._

 _A need creeping up on her._

 _She wanted to shorten the distance between them._

 _"Hermione." Draco almost whimpered._

 _Hermione rushed to him. He engulfed her. His mouth greedily found hers. His kisses were forced with passion as he ran his fingers into her hair to pull her close. Her supple mouth opened to his as he deepened their kiss. Hermione took in a deep breath and forced herself closer to him. The tingling sensation vibrated through her body. No matter the kiss, she needed more satisfaction._

 _Hermione had never felt this need, this ache. She whimpered softly as Draco turned and laid her down on the green plush couch. His mouth nibbled down her neck to her throat. She ran her fingers through his hair while grabbing the back of his head. Her other hand gripped to his back. He had already positioned himself between her legs. She lifted her legs up and wrapped herself around him. She could feel his hardness. Every few seconds he would thrust forward, sending a pulse up her body._

 _Draco unbuttoned her shirt and continued to kiss down to her breasts. Hermione gasped for breath at the delightful feel. Draco sat up causing her legs to fall around him. He pulled her up and gently removed her shirt. He unfastened her bra, revealing her breasts. Hermione heard him sigh as he moved in closer. He nibbled in between her mounds and began to circle with his tongue. He grazed over her taught nipples which sent a wave a pleasure through Hermione._

 _Draco began to lick at her nipples as his hand wound its way down to the button of her pants. He unbuttoned her pants and slid his fingers down to her wet mound. Her body thrusted up at him at his slightest touch._

 _Draco gasped. He reeled back and stared at Hermione with such pure desire. He stood up while pulling off her pants and panties. He quickly pulled off his shirt revealing his muscles. Hermione opened her legs at the sight of his body._

 _Not breaking his gaze into her eyes, Draco slipped out of his pants and slid on top of her. Kissing her deeper than ever before._

 _"You sure you want this?" Draco whispered as gently kissed her ear. Hermione thrusted towards his hardness in reply._

 _"Please." She moaned._

 _Draco pushed himself into her. She felt him inside. Pulsating. In then out. Pushing her higher than any magic ever could. She wrapped himself around her. Begged him to go deeper, hoping that with each thrust, he would touch her soul. Draco let out a slight moan as a feeling overtook Hermione. She grabbed Draco, her fingernails digging into his back as she cried into is skin. Hermione quaked and quivered all around Draco who let out a moan, tensed up and then fell on her._

 _They both grasped for breath. Sweat dripped from Draco as he looked down at Hermione. She smiled back up at him. She never thought she would feel this way with anyone. She wiped a piece of hair from his face._

 _"Hermione." Her name in his voice, it was more like a song. It was desire. He knelt in for a kiss. This time it was gentle and loving. She returned the kiss, full of emotion. He got up and grabbed a silver plush blanket and wrapped it around her. He did not cover his nakedness and Hermione gazed at his beauty. He was toned and sculpted. His hair was ruffled and his eyes shown crystal clear._

 _"You really look Slytherin right now." He broke Hermione's train of thought as he teased her._

 _"I may have had some Slytherin in me." Hermione couldn't resist. She took the opening._

 _"Ooooo." Draco lunged at her from the remark and took her into another passionate kiss._

 _"Well Miss Granger." Draco's voice thick with lust, "How about some more Slytherin."_

 _Hermione gasped as Draco sat up quickly, already hard at her touch. He pulled her on to his lap. She instinctively swiveled her hips as she took in his hardness. Hermione rocked and teased Draco with her breast. This time around she felt the power of pleasure. Her confidence rose as she rocked harder. Draco watched her beauty bounce as a sigh escaped his lips. Hermione's confidence soared as she thrusted and rocked harder. Draco's eyes grew dark as he let out a moan and then stiffened in release. Her grabbed on to Hermione tightly._

 _They both gasped for breath._

 _"This is…"Draco tried to breathe, "This is way better than Hogsmeade."_

 _Hermione laughed and nestled in his arms._

The green and silver robes of the Slytherin player flew past their heads bringing Hermione back to the game. The crowds cheered and Hugo squealed in delight. Hermione blushed at her memory and was thankful that she had not ran into the Malfoys.

She missed the Dungeons.


	9. Chapter 9

Ron patted his belly after the meal they just had. Hermione sighed. The day was almost over. She had enjoyed seeing Rose but was ready to get back to her life where she could better block out the past. Only one event remained for the day and that was the family dance, then they would board the train and head home.

Rose twirled before Hermione in her new pale blue dress. It flowed around her and Hermione thought her daughter was absolutely beautiful. Rose stared at herself in the mirror as Hermione fixed her hair. When Rose's hair was all pinned up and Hermione had changed and pinned up her curls, the ladies rushed to meet the men.

Ron's face brightened at the sight of his wife and daughter. He never thought life could be this good. He offered his arm to both of them and Hugo followed suit with his sister. Together they headed for the dance.

Music pulsated through the crowd. Children ran around and students danced. The younger parents joined with the students while the older parents took moments away in the gardens just so they could hear again. Hugo jumped around the dance floor, having the time of his life while Ron watched an older 5th year dance with Rose. Hermione laughed at Ron's expression every time the boy got a little too close.

The air was thick and hard to breathe. Hermione decided that the gardens suddenly seemed a more suitable place. She motioned to Ron that she was going outside to get some air.

The breeze felt cool on her face and she breathed in the night. She always loved the night at Hogwarts. There was always something about it. She took her seat at a bench and closed her eyes to feel the sensation. Conversation filtered to her ears. She opened them, curious to see who was close by.

Across the green stood Draco.

He had been here after all.

Hermione's blood instantly ran thick and cold. Her heart beat out of her chest and she froze. He hadn't seen her yet. Maybe she could sneak back inside. Or maybe by sitting absolutely still, he would not notice her. Seeing him across the yard brought it all back, the feelings, the emotions. Hermione closed her eyes and remembered the last time they saw each other.

 _The other Gryffindors buzzed around her but Hermione paid no mind to it. She was focused on something else entirely. She could still feel his hands on her even though it had been a few days. She could still feel him pressing down on her. Her body tingled at the thought and yearned for his touch. They hadn't been able to see each other since that moment. In fact, she hadn't seen Draco much at all. She had looked for him but he seemed to be nowhere so she tried to concentrate on her studies._

 _"Hey, have you seen Harry," Ron's voice penetrated her thoughts._

 _"I haven't." Hermione closed her book and looked up at him questioningly._

 _"Last time I saw him, he was headed to see Dumbledore." Ginny walked up to the conversation, concern written on her face._

 _"We need to go look for him." Ron charged out of the common room as the girls followed. If Harry was going to see Dumbledore then Hermione decided to head off towards the headmaster's office. Knowing Dumbledore, he and Harry were off somewhere on one of Dumbledore's schemes._

 _Hermione broke into a jog as she rounded the corner._

 _She thought she heard a throat clear._

 _"Stop!"_

 _Hermione slid to a halt._

 _"Draco?"_

 _Draco stood in the window, his form silhouetted by the light behind him. He jumped down and joined her in the hallway._

 _"I've been looking for you."_

 _"I can't talk right now Draco. We got to find Harry."_

 _"I need to talk to you."_

 _"We can talk later right now I have to go…"_

 _"There won't be a later!" His urgent voice bellowed through the hallway. Hermione had never heard him raise his voice like that. She was lost for words. Draco grabbed her arms and stared into her eyes. Her skin tingled where he touched her._

 _"Hermione." Draco began again, "I have to talk to you." He swallowed a lump in his throat and mustered the courage and resolve. "Things have been set in motion, things that I cannot change. Bad things, evil things. If I could change them I would. But I can't."_

 _Hermione looked puzzled and shook her head trying to reason what he was saying._

 _"Hermione," Draco continued, "We can't see each other ever again. I am sworn to my fate…"Draco's words disappeared into his head. He looked down trying to gather his thoughts. Slowly he looked back into Hermione's eyes. "Please don't think badly of me. No matter what happens."_

 _"Draco," Hermione's voice quivered, "What are you saying?" Hermione's eyes danced around looking for a solution, looking for anything to prevent the ache growing in her heart._

" _We should run away, like we talked about..."_

 _"It's already set in motion. I can't stop it." Draco's eyes darkened as Hermione studied his face. He was resolved._

 _Tears swelled up in her eyes._

 _"I want you to live a happy life. I know you love Ron. He will be a good man." Draco tried to soothe her. He was right. She had feelings for Ron but not like the feelings she had for him. Ron was comfort and predictability and he was her best friend. Draco was passion, her lover, her soulmate._

 _"Draco…" The words fell away as Draco lightly brushed her forehead with his lips. He paused for just a minute then she watched him hurry down the hallway leaving her alone with her tears._

Hermione pushed back the heartache of the memory and was thankful for the darkness to cover her emotions. The bench had become hard and the breeze beyond cold and Hermione knew it was time to head in. Draco and his company were gone so hopefully he had disappeared in the crowd. The dance would be over soon and then her and her family could head home. She stood up and stretched, ready for the night to be over.

"Hermione." A voice broke over the breeze, a voice much cooler.

Draco stood by a shrub, hiding in the shadows. He had noticed her in the garden after all and had been waiting for her to get up.

"Draco." Their eyes met. She remembered them clearly only now they were aged. They were still so beautiful.

"How have you been?" Draco wrung his hands as he asked her the question.

"I have been good Draco, how have you been?" Hermione searched his face.

"Life has been good Hermione." He smiled at her and she mustered a smile back. Draco was lost for words and felt the need for escape. He stood completely up and started to walk away.

He couldn't gauge her reaction to him and why should she react at all. In fact, she probably hadn't even noticed that the painting of the garden had been removed and the exit had been sealed up. Draco closed his eyes at the memory.

"Flower pot."

Their voices rang in his head.

"Draco!" Hermione called out to him and he immediately stopped. He turned towards her. She was still beautiful. He longed to touch her but time was such a great distance.

"Draco," Hermione stammered, "Do you ever wonder…" She searched for her words, "Do you ever wondered what life would have been like if we made different choices?" Hermione studied his face. She didn't know why she suddenly asked that question. She just needed to know if he missed her remotely as much as she missed him.

"You mean if we ran off together instead of how things turned out?" Draco understood the question fully.

"Yes."

"Everyday."

Draco turned and walked back into Hogwarts. Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and followed behind. As she walked into the door, she found her smile, took a deep breath and went on the find her family.


	10. Chapter 10

Ron looked down at the headstone. His wife had been gone 5 years now. In fact, they were all gone…Harry, Ginny. He was the only one left. He will join them soon enough. He tried to cough to clear his lungs but to no avail. He would join them very soon. And he was ready. He placed a wrinkled hand on Hermione's headstone. He sure did miss her. Her flowers he brought her did liven up the ground a little bit. But a curious thing kept happening. A flower pot, no flowers, not dirt, just a ceramic flower pot always was settled on her grave. He would take it away but in returning find another in its place. He was too old now to expend the energy to remove the object. He just let it be as he let everything be.

"I will be seeing you soon my dear."


End file.
